Tema Mantse Rubbishes ‘Daily Guide’ story…hails Kempes

A story by the “Daily Guide” of April 6, a leading pro-government newspaper based in Accra, which claimed that a spokesperson for the Tema Traditional Council had denounced Hon. Robert Kempes Ofosuware, the former Municipal Chief Executive of Tema, as the worst performing MCE ever, has incurred a passionate objection from the Tema Mantse himself.

Dr. Nii Adjei Kraku II has dismissed the publication, titled “Kempes The Worst MCE in Tema – Chiefs, ” as a piece of yellow journalism that is most shocking.

At a press conference to set the record straight, Nii Adjei Kraku II, told journalists at his Tema Newtown palace that the story by the “Daily Guide” newspaper was a showpiece that absolutely lowered journalistic standards.

According to him, Kempes Ofosuware stànds out among the lineage of mayors in Tema, as one of the most resourceful MCEs.

Among others, he enumerated Kempes era as Tema MCE had seen many landmark developmental projects, including the reconstruction of the Tema Canoe mending wharf.

He said during his tenure, Kempes had built schools, dredged the canoe landing beach, distributed outboard motors and built a huge Chokor smoker for the fisher-folk, among others.

Nii recalled the popular MCE had upgraded the roads in Tema so massively that he had been nicknamed, ‘Mr. Asphalt.’

“In addition to this, Kempes had a cordial relationship with the Tema Traditional Council,” the Tema Mantse said, wondering where the story that the TTC had denounced him came from.

According to the “Daily Guide” report, the denunciation of Kempes as the worst mayor to have ever led Tema had been done by Joseph Ashitey Larteh, Development Control Chairman of the TTC, on behalf of the TTC.

Mr. Larteh, on behalf of the TTC, supposedly named Kempes as a non-indigene Mayor of Tema who had performed so abysmally in office that his poor performance has exampled the TTC and informed their resolve to demand the appointment of an indigene to the post of Tema Mayor.

Immediately the story broke last Thursday, Mr. Larteh was summoned to the palace of the Tema Mantse to explain why he could put such words into the mouth of the TTC, since the TTC regards Kempes as one of the best mayors Tema has ever had.

Joseph AshiteyLarteh, alias Gallas, duly responded to the summons, and when he was given the floor, he denounced the “Daily Guide” story as something far from what he had told the media in a short press statement he had made after the Greater Accra Regional Minister and some officials of the TMA had donated items towards the upcoming “Kpelejoo” festival to the TTC in Tema.

He explained that in that address he reinforced demand on President Akufo-Addo to appoint an indigene of Tema as the new mayor since the indigene would understand the plight of the people better than a non-indigene.

He said, he then cited examples that, Evans Ashong Narh, who had been mayor before Kempes, had been a kindred spirit with the indigenes and so he had understood their needs better.

Similarly, he said he had cited that Hon Isaac Ashai Odamtten had also had a freewheeling relationship with indigenes because he is, himself, an indigene of Tema.

However, because Kempes is not an indigene of Tema, even though he performed very well as Mayor, the indigenes still called for his replacement after his first term as a Mayor.

He therefore said, he used Kempes’ difficulties in office as an example of how a non-indigenous appointee of the president to the mayoral office could present challenges to the development of Tema.

Gallas explained that it was not true that he had told the media that Kempes was a non-performing mayor and that that claim was a concoction by “Daily Guide” itself.

Prior to his summons, the Development Control Chairman of TTC had called Kempes on phone to distance himself from the “Daily Guide” story, apologizing profusely for the inconvenience that had been caused Kempes.

The Tema Mantse and the TTC have categorically denounced the “Daily Guide” story against Kempes as a falsehood.

At the press conference to expose the story for what it was, Dr. Nii Adjei Kraku II advised media practitioners to eschew sensationalism and always endevor to report facts.

When Kempes was contacted for his reaction, he said from the very moment he saw the story, he knew it was a lie, because he said Joseph Ashitey Larteh, the one to whom the “Daily Guide” had attributed the story was a close friend who would never say such things against him.

He confirmed that Gallas had indeed called to explain matters and apologized to him for any inconveniwnce the story might have caused.

Kempes outrightly dismissed questions as to whether he would like to sue for damage caused to his reputation, saying the publication was just an unfortunate mistake.

Meanwhile, the Tema Mantse, Dr. Nii Adjei Kraku II, has reiterated that the TTC and indigenes of Tema want to have an indigene appointed to the Tema mayoral job.

Information has it that Kempes’ credibility is being destroyed in order to torpedo his chances of becoming the next Managing Director of Accra Hearts of Oak.